10 Greatest Hollywood Dads

Wiki/Biography

One out of every three children, out of a total of 24 million in the United States, live in homes without a biological father. The majority of Americans, nine out of ten, agree that this is a very serious problem. In fact, some of the statistics associated with fatherless homes are quite shocking. According to reports by the Fatherless Generation, 63% of suicides committed by youth occur in fatherless homes. 90% of children who are homeless or have run away from their homes, have lived without a dad – this number is 32 times higher than the nation’s average. Furthermore, 85% of children diagnosed with behavioural issues grew up without a father – and this is 20 times higher than the average. Hopefully these statistics will not apply to the kids on the following list since they have pretty great fathers!

The media is paying more and more attention to celebrity dads – or actors and singers who might gain that label in the near future. Kanye West, Jimmy Fallon and Ashton Kutcher already have it. Now it seems we are holding our breath to find out who the next father will be. Famous fathers are special in some ways – not only do they continue on entertaining us on our TV screens and in magazines, but they also somehow manage to provide a sense of normality for their families, something that is frequently missing in celebrities’ lives. This is definitely a challenging task, one that requires patience and skill. According to Michael Josephson, to be a parent requires all that, to create a child who does not rebel.

How are some of the world’s most famous parents able to keep balance in their lives with six children? Brad and Angelina somehow make it happen, despite keeping up to their A-list expectations. Brad has admitted to Psychologies magazine that fatherhood has made him more alive and generous and that he has changed profoundly in other ways. He admires being a dad and the responsibilities that come with fatherhood – he says that it is invaluable to see his children grow up and know that they learned from you and will be just fine making their own way in the future. Even though Pitt’s net worth is $240 million, he says that his biggest wealth are his children. The basic values of family and the moments of happiness it can bring are some of the most beautiful things for him to experience.

Not many women have not heard of Channing Tatum. He has appeared on our TV screens more than a few times – with roles in movies such as Magic Mike, The Vow, and 21 Jump Street. However, most recently he has taken-up a different kind of role – that of a father and… diaper changer. In fact, he admits that he is quite skilled at the latter because it is one of the most necessary jobs of taking care of young children, especially during their first year when the mom is on alert and on-the-job 24 hours a day, seven days a week. He goes on even further to say that he can change his daughter Everly’s diaper even when she is crawling and moving around. Even though he does say that there are some things which you learn as you go, it seems that whatever he has been doing has been working so far! His wife Jenna Dewan is very lucky to have him!

Maybe back when he was the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Will Smith did not have that much fatherly material. However, he has definitely shown that he has plenty of that now. He tells Robin Roberts that fatherhood is like a test for him – that he experiments with being a dad and it’s all about teaching and showing his kids everything that he knows. He loves and cares for them as heartily as he can, and life will teach him and his family the rest. Back in the day when Will’s first son was born, a photo was taken of the two of them. He looked completely confused and says that now, when he looks back at the picture, he admits that he has no idea what he was doing with that little thing in his arms. However, it seems that all turned out for the best – even his wife Jada Pinkett Smith proudly says that Will is the best dad in the world. She mentions how he provides all the emotional support that is needed for her and their kids, and that that is immeasurable. Way to go, Will.

Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck represent a more typical and traditional family when it comes to playing mom and dad roles. Jimmy Fallon talked to Jennifer on The Tonight Show, about her and Ben being parents. She said that she does all the typical “mom” roles and Ben plays the dad very well. A typical mom role, according to Jennifer, is someone who does all the functional things of the household which involves getting dinner made and helping the kids with homework. Ben, on the other hand, takes over all the ‘fun’ activities, except for watching “Frozen,” which like all the other parents, he is absolutely tired of watching over and over again.

All Hugh Jackman asks for Father’s Day is to start the day with some breakfast in bed. Then he says that he tricks the kids into believing that Father’s Day is every day, so breakfast should also be brought to him every day in bed. Jokes aside, Hugh’s children, both adopted, mean everything to him. He says that his daughter, Ava, is a mini-version of his wife, Deb and that she will usually get more done than is planned on the agenda. And now that Oscar is 13, he is old enough to follow one of the family’s rules: volunteering. So he engages his inner gardener in a park in New York City. Another family rule is that Hugh can never be away from his family more than two weeks. So even if he has only been working away for a few days, he will rush home to see them. This is probably as humble as Hollywood ever gets.

Johnny worships his kids and he is not afraid to admit that. They are his everything and he admits that if he would have to pick one thing to be good at in life, it would be caring for them. His fatherhood speaks for itself and definitely does not need any more explanation. Good for you, Johnny!

Unlike some of the families on this list, Matt does not represent a typical man’s road into fatherhood. His marriage to Luciana Barosso, a bartender from Miami beach, made him an instant dad to Alexia, who is Barosso’s 14-year-old daughter from her previous relationship. Damon and Barosso now have three of their own children – 6-year-old Isabella, Gia who is 4, and Stella, their 2-year-old. However, Damon is definitely your protective father – he regularly checks up on his daughters at night to see if they are breathing and alive. He even got the nickname ‘Red Alert’ from his wife for doing this. He admits it himself – his paranoia and overprotectiveness got the better of him when he became a dad. Once his daughters become teenagers, they will most likely be under even more surveillance!

Sandler talks fondly of his family and especially the school where he enrolled his 8- and 5-year old girls Sadie Madison and Sunny Madeline. He says that they go to a special school where the parents can visit them any day to have lunch with their children. Sandler says that’s what makes the school awesome and he definitely takes advantage of it – but he has to make sure he comes with an In-N-Out burger.

After releasing the movie Blended, Sandler said in an interview that fatherhood has brought a lot of changes into his life, the most obvious ones seen in his daily schedule changes. You will now find him at home if it’s past 9:30pm, having eaten dinner by 7, and in bed by 10:30 (otherwise, he’ll be cranky the next day). What might come as a surprise is that Sandler is not the relaxed type of dad. He often worries about his children, especially if they are upset or something is bothering them. His goal is for the kids to be happy and safe – and when they’re OK, then the whole family is OK.

When choosing between priorities, there is no doubt that family is at the top of McConaughey’s list, especially now that his wife, Camila Alves, recently gave birth to their third child. He states that anyone who has children knows that every parent has to pick the most important things – that you can’t have your cake and eat it too. Focus must be on the family, all the time. Even though other actors are trying to become more than just actors – producers and directors, McConaughey will not venture down that road and will work only as an actor. That may have to do with his role as a father and his clear vision of what fatherhood means. As work ends, he is glad to leave and return home to his number one priority – his family. Good thing McConaughey knows exactly what he needs and wants!

1. David Beckham

After retiring from his career as a professional soccer player, David Beckham now works as a full-time dad, taking care of his four kids and wife Victoria Beckham. He has to make sure that the kids get to school on time, that they are fed, and that his daughter has a nice outfit picked for the day. Victoria has had a successful fashion line launch and David knows just how much work she has put into it – so he is ready to step up and help anywhere needed. In fact, David has been such a good father that he’s received multiple awards and recognitions – including having the Archbishop of Canterbury praise his fatherhood skills. He is proud to say that among his multiple other awards and recognitions, he is happiest about his family.